Women’s organisations in Vhembe say women and children continue to be vulnerable victims of domestic violence and other brutal, related activities. They said this after a woman and two children were killed when the shack in which they were sleeping, caught fire. The incident took place at Mpheni Block E last Thursday.

The police said that they are still investigating the cause of the fire, as until recently, no suspect(s) has been arrested in connection with the brutal arson attack. The deceased are Lydia Nditsheni Xikava (35), her two sons Musa (5) and Hlamulo Xikava (2) and her friend’s son Sipho Mboweni (14). Hlupheka Xikava(12) is the only one who survived the deadly fire and he was hospitalised with minor burn wounds at the Elim hospital and later discharged.

Villagers said that they heard screams of help in the early hours of the morning, but on arrival at the shack, they discovered that it was too late.

According to Sipho’s Mother, Mrs Tinswalo Khosa, a close friend of the late Lydia, she tried to convince the deceased to sleep at her shack, but Lydia indicated that she was intending to sleep in her own shack. “She used to sleep in my shack, but that day she said that she couldn't sleep in my shack. At the same time, my son, Sipho indicated that he was going to study at Lydia' shack. As it was getting late, I asked Sipho twice to come back home, but he insisted that he would return as soon as he finished his studies,” she said. Tinswalo said that she could not see how the deceaseds’ were burnt, because she is pregnant.

The unemployed, destitute Khosa said that she still couldn’t believe that her son, her friend and kids were no more. She described Tsakani as a loving person, who parted ways with her husband in late 2003. “She used to rent shacks around Waterval and Mpheni since she had run away from her abusive husband,” said Tinswalo.

The arson attack took place a day before Lydia and her husband were to appear before the Waterval maintenance court.

The dead children were all learners at Hlalelani Primary School.

Thohoyandou Maintenance Forum coordinator and Far North Women Against Violence chairperson, Fency Malapela said that the rights of women and children are violated by people who fail to carry out their responsibilities. She said that, in most cases, children are victimised and pay with their lives due to the conficts between their parents.

According to Captain Mashudu Malelo of Vhembe SAPS, said that an inquest has been reported at the Waterval SAPS.